The biggest arms exporters

The volume of international transfers increased. United States - the world's first exporter of military equipment, and led the five largest suppliers of major conventional weapons.

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Boeing C-17 "Globemaster» III taxiing to the runway to take off from the airport in South Africa, March 5. The crew of the Boeing delivered personnel and cargo in Huidsprut for "Operation Atlas". Operation "Atlas" - a US military aid in the flooded areas of southern Mozambique and South Africa. Aircraft C-17A make one of several flights during which the affected areas will be delivered helicopters and military personnel to help in finding and distributing provisions. "Globemaster» III was loaned to the operation at the 437th Air Transport Wing at Charleston Air Force Base. (jr / USAF / Cary Humphries UPI)



Among the chief US weapons - JDAM guided bombs and anti-ship missiles RGM-84L Harpoon-2 aimed to South Korea in 2008. Photo: US President Barack Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. (UPI Photo / Mike Theiler)



Russia is the second largest exporter of weapons - 23%, with a profit of 4, 5 billion dollars. The main clients of Russia in this regard are China (40%) and India (20%), which are included in the list of the five largest arms importers in the world from 2005 to 2009. Russia exported machines include Su-2 for India and Mi-17 helicopters to China. Photo: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev with a Kalashnikov. (UPI Photo / Mihail Kovalev)



Germany, the level of arms exports which increased in the last five years, has become the third largest arms exporter in the world. Now the country holds 10% of the overall level of the exported weapons. Most of the weapons in Germany are exported to other European countries, such as Turkey (15%) and Greece (13%). German tanks "Leopard 2A4», delivered to Turkey, bringing the country about 365 million euros. Photo: German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a munitions factory. (UPI Photo / Uriel Sinai / Pool)



France is in fourth place in the number of exported weapons, although until 2006 it was in third place. The level of arms exports from France of 8% of the total. The largest customers in France - United Arab Emirates (32%), Singapore (13%) and Greece (12%). One of the main items of exports - combat aircraft "Mirage", which last five years available in the UAE. In the photo: «Dassault Mirage 2000". (UPI Photo / David Silpa)



Closes top five arms exporters Britain, although the level of arms exports to that country fell by 13% compared with the previous period (2000 to 2004). UK arms sales is 4% of the world market. 21% of British weapons exports to the United States, including Jets airborne radars. United States - the largest client is the UK, followed by India (14%) and Chile (9%). Photo: Prime Minister Gordon Brown (left) and Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh. (UPI Photo)

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